[Pulmonary hypertension in grown-ups with congenital heart disease: Recommendations of the Cologne Consensus Conference 2016]

The 2015 European Guidelines on Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension are also valid for Germany. The guidelines contain detailed recommendations for different forms of PH, and specifically address PH associated with congenital heart disease (CHD). However, the practical implementation of the European Guidelines in Germany requires the consideration of several country-specific issues and already existing novel data. This requires a detailed commentary to the guidelines, and in some aspects an update already appears necessary. In June 2016, a Consensus Conference organized by the PH working groups of the German Society of Cardiology (DGK), the German Society of Respiratory Medicine (DGP) and the German Society of Pediatric Cardiology (DGPK) was held in Cologne, Germany. This conference aimed to solve practical and controversial issues surrounding the implementation of the European Guidelines in Germany. To this end, a number of working groups was initiated, one of which was specifically dedicated to PH in grown-ups with congenital heart disease (GUCH). This article summarizes the results and recommendations of this working group.

Successful treatment of a newborn with acute myocardial infarction on the first day of life

Cardiogenic shock occurring after acute neonatal myocardial infarction (MI) due to coronary artery thrombosis is very rarely encountered. Acute neonatal MI typically presents suddenly with usually a fatal outcome. Treatment options in patients with this condition are limited. There are previous case reports in the literature advocating the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for hemodynamic support. In this report, we present a newborn with severe MI secondary to thrombus formation within the left anterior descending coronary artery. There also proved to be a Factor V Leiden heterozygotic mutation. The patient initially presented with cardiogenic shock. After resuscitation and thrombolytic therapy were administered, coronary artery patency was restored resulting in myocardial revitalization and recovery of left-ventricular function within 4 weeks.

Primary resection of Kommerell's diverticulum in a 37-year-old patient

A previously non-operated 37-year-old patient presented with esophageal dysphagia for solid food and stridorous breathing. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance showed a 33-mm wide Kommerell's diverticulum. The diverticulum and the obliterated ductus arteriosus arising from it towards the pulmonary artery were resected. The left subclavian artery, which originated from the diverticulum, was reimplanted into the descending aorta. In addition to dissecting any tissue which is making vascular ring-like structures around the trachea and the esophagus, it is important to resect the diverticulum itself and reimplant the left subclavian artery arising from it, in this way leaving the aortic arch free from any additional dislocating forces.

Balloon valvuloplasty in the treatment of congenital aortic valve stenosis--a retrospective multicenter survey of more than 1000 patients

BACKGROUND

The value of balloon valvuloplasty of the aortic valve in childhood is still under debate.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the results of the procedure in a retrospective multicenter survey of a large cohort over a long time interval.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of 1004 patients with balloon valvuloplasty of the aortic valve performed between 9/1985 and 10/2006 at 20 centers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Amongst others, the following parameters were evaluated before and after the procedure as well as at the end of follow-up or before surgery: clinical status, left ventricular function, transaortic pressure gradient, degree of aortic regurgitation, freedom from re-intervention or surgery.

PATIENTS

Patients from 1 day to 18 years of age with aortic valve stenosis were divided into four groups: 334 newborns (1-28 days); 249 infants (29-365 days); 211 children (1-10 years), and 210 adolescents (10-18 years).

RESULTS

Median follow-up was 32 months (0 days to 17.5 years). After dilatation the pressure gradient decreased from 65 (± 24)mm Hg to 26 (± 16)mm Hg and remained stable during follow-up. The newborns were the most affected patients. Approximately 60% of them had clinical symptoms and impaired left ventricular function before intervention. Complication rate was 15% in newborns, 11% in infants and 6% in older children. Independently of age, 50% of all patients were free from surgery 10 years after intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

In this retrospective multicenter study, balloon valvuloplasty of the aortic valve has effectively postponed the need for surgery in infants, children and adolescents up to 18 years of age.

Progressive intrapulmonary shunting in a child after bidirectional Glenn operation only resolved after total cavopulmonary completion

We report on a girl with progressive intrapulmonary shunting after bidirectional Glenn (BDG) operation and resolution of these microscopic fistulas after completion to total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC).

Cardiac index monitoring by pulse contour analysis and thermodilution after pediatric cardiac surgery

OBJECTIVES

To validate a new device (PiCCO system; Pulsion Medical Systems, Munich, Germany), we compared cardiac index derived from transpulmonary thermodilution and from pulse contour analysis in pediatric patients after surgery for congenital heart disease. We performed a prospective clinical study in a pediatric cardiac intensive care unit of a university hospital.

METHODS

Twenty-four patients who had had cardiac surgery for congenital heart disease (median age 4.2 years, range 1.4-15.2 years) were investigated in the first 24 hours after admission to the intensive care unit. A 3F thermodilution catheter was inserted in the femoral artery. Intracardiac shunts were excluded by echocardiography intraoperatively or postoperatively. Cardiac index derived from pulse contour analysis was documented in each patient 1, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 hours after admission to the intensive care unit. Subsequently, a set of three measurements of thermodilution cardiac indices derived by injections into a central venous line was performed and calculated by the PiCCO system.

RESULTS

The mean bias between cardiac indices derived by thermodilution and those derived by pulse contour analysis over all data points was 0.05 (SD 0.4) L x min x m(-2) (95% confidence interval 0.01-0.10). A strong correlation between thermodilution and contour analysis cardiac indices was calculated (Pearson correlation coefficient r = 0.93; coefficient of determination r2 = 0.86).

CONCLUSIONS

Pulse contour analysis is a suitable method to monitor cardiac index over a wide range of indices after surgery for congenital heart disease in pediatric patients. Pulse contour analysis allows online monitoring of cardiac index. The PiCCO device can be recalibrated with the integrated transpulmonary thermodilution within a short time frame.

Tissue Doppler echocardiography before and after the surgical reconstruction of an insufficient mitral valve in a patient with Fontan circulation

We report a patient with tricuspid atresia after total cavopulmonary connection who developed significant mitral valve regurgitation. Doppler myocardial echocardiography tracings showed "pseudonormalization" of diastolic velocities. After successful surgical reconstruction of the mitral valve, the diastolic myocardial velocities changed to the typical Fontan physiology with predominant late diastolic ventricular filling.

Site of coronary sinus drainage does not significantly affect coronary flow reserve in patients long term after Fontan operation

This study was designed to investigate the impact of postoperative coronary sinus drainage pressure on coronary flow reserve (CFR) assessed by Doppler guidewire in patients long term after Fontan operation. Twenty-nine patients (median age, 17.4 years female, 11) at a median of 10.6 years after Fontan operation were examined with intracoronary Doppler guidewire during cardiac catheterization. Fourteen patients had coronary sinus (CS) drainage to the systemic venous atrium and 15 patients had CS drainage to the pulmonary venous atrium after Fontan operation. Median CS drainage pressure was significantly higher in systemic venous CS drainage compared to pulmonary venous CS drainage (11 vs 5 mmHg, p < 0.0001). Median CFR values for the right and left coronary artery did not differ significantly with respect to CS drainage. There was a positive correlation between coronary flow reserve and pulmonary arteriolar resistance (p < 0.05) in multivariate regression analysis. The site of coronary drainage into the systemic atrium or the pulmonary venous atrium did not significantly affect CFR. Our data do not support a surgical strategy of elective redirection of coronary sinus blood to a low-pressure compartment but support an early staged approach. The positive correlation between CFR and pulmonary resistance demands further evaluation.

Right heart failure due to an unroofed coronary sinus in an adult

An unroofed coronary sinus is a rare congenital malformation with a strong association to a persistent left vena cava superior. In most cases it occurs together with complex cardiac anomalies such as left isomerism. We report on a 72-year-old man with clinical signs of right heart failure caused by an isolated unroofed coronary sinus: The diagnosis was made by means of transesophageal echocardiography with contrast injection.

Stenting of a stenosed sano shunt in a neonate with hypoplastic left heart syndrome

We report on successful stenting of a proximally stenosed Sano shunt in a newborn with hypoplastic left heart syndrome after a stage I Norwood operation.

Impaired left ventricular function after arterial switch operation: exclusion of significant coronary artery stenosis with an intravascular Doppler guidewire

Patients after arterial switch operation for transposition of the great arteries are at risk for coronary artery stenosis or obstruction due to intraoperative manipulation. This case describes an infant with impaired left ventricular function 8 months after arterial switch operation. A hemodynamically significant left coronary artery stenosis was excluded by determination of coronary flow reserve using an intravascular Doppler guidewire.